Hank Williams Jr. Serenades McCain, Palin

October 14, 2008

By JENNIFER PARKER

ABC News' Kate Snow and Imtiyaz Delawala Report: Hank Williams Jr. sure knows how to get a crowd goin'. On a small stage in the middle of a sea of red t-shirts at the Richmond International Raceway this afternoon, Williams stood a few feet from Governor Sarah Palin to sing the Star Spangled Banner. But it was his next song that was a surefire hit in this conservative crowd.

"The left wing liberal media has always been a close knit family. But most of the American people don't believe it anyway, you see. Stop and think it over before you make your decision. If they smell something wrong, they're gonna come down strong," Williams intoned.

The song "McCain-Palin tradition" was set to the music of Williams’ country classic "Family tradition", a song written in response to critics who said he wasn’t living up to the legend of his father, Hank Williams Senior. The original song contains lyrics about drinking and smoking marijuana.

The new ditty is a completely new political take on that tune with lyrics critical of the media and Democrats.

"This old union's got problems. That is plain to see. The Democrats bankrupted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, just like 1-2-3. The bankers didn’t want to make all those bad loans. But Bill Clinton said "you got to!" Now they want to bail out. What I'm talking about, is a democrat liberal hoodoo!" Williams sang in Richmond.

According to lyrics released by the McCain-Palin campaign, the song’s chorus is: "John N Sarah tell ya just what they think. And they’re not gonna blink. And they’re gonna fix this country. Cause they’re just like you n’ ole Hank. Yes John is a maverick. And Sarah fixed Alaska’s broken condition. They’re gonna go just fine. We’re headed for better times. It’s a McCain – Palin tradition."

But Williams sang the song twice on Monday, once at a joint McCain-Palin rally in Virginia Beach and the second time at the Richmond Raceway.

And he didn’t always stick to the song sheet.

At the first appearance in Virginia Beach, Williams added a line to the song about Barack Obama.

"John and Sarah tell you just what they think. And they're not gonna blink. And they don't have terrorist friends to whom their careers are linked," Williams sang.

That line is not included in the lyrics released by the campaign.

Nor is another line that Williams included in Richmond about Governor Palin. It sounds on the tape like he sings: "Why do you hunt? God why do you fish? How can you be so smart and be such a good lookin’ dish?"

The left wing liberal media has always been a close knit familyBut most of the American people don't believe it anyway you seeStop and think it overBefore you make your decisionIf they smell something wrong, they're gonna come down strongAnd say McCain-Palin traditionThis old union's got problemsThat is plain to seeThe democrats bankrupted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Just like 1-2-3The bankers didn’t want to make all those bad loans But Bill Clinton said "you got to!"Now they want to bail outwhat I'm talking aboutIs a democrat liberal hoodoo!To me and youJohn and Sarah tell you just what they thinkAnd they're not gonna blinkAnd they don't have terrorist friends to whom their careers are linkedYeah John is his own manAnd Sarah fixed Alaska's broken conditionThey're gonna do just fineWe're headed for good timesYou know McCain-Palin TraditionI am very proudOf our country's nameBut no society is perfectAnd we have had our stainsIf I'm down at the coffee shopSomeone wants to give our flag frictionWe say please move on, we're standing strongThat's an Old John McCain traditionJohn and Sarah tell you just what they thinkAnd they're not gonna blinkThey're gonna fix this country, cuz they're just like good ol' HankYeah John is his own manAnd Sarah fixed Alaska's bad conditionThey're gonna get it right, we're gonna see the light, an old McCain-Palin traditionSome are bound to tell youI'm preaching to the choirAnd that is very true, and we are going higherLike a Mama bear in IdahoShe'll protect your family's conditionIf you mess with her cubs, she's gonna take off the gloves, that's an American female traditionJohn and Sarah tell you just what they thinkAnd they're not gonna blinkThey're gonna fix this countryCuz they're just like good ol' HankYes John is his own manSarah fixed Alaska's bad traditionThey're gonna see the lightWe're gonna be just fineOh! McCain-Palin tradition

The McCain-Palin campaign released lyrics of the song "McCain-Palin tradition" by Hank Williams, Jr.: